A/N- Hiiii guys! Long time no chapter ne? Hehe, sorry, I got a bit lazy and then I rewrote this one a few times so it took twice as long :D Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter too! Hope you can forgive me and read on! :D

Chapter 26

Naru sat quietly next to the Uchiha as they watched the Hokage, for the second time that night, check over their sleeping son. The woman had made sure the child's medication was continuous so that they would take affect sooner rather than later. Twenty minutes later Tsunade pulled away and let out a tired but reassuring sigh.

"He'll be ok." She smiled softly to the worried parents. "His temperature isn't so high anymore and that's very good. However, the babe will be in pain for a few more days but the painkillers will help numb that as the antibiotics will fight the infection." She told them as she pulled the child's blanket back up over his body.

"When can we take him home?" Sasuke asked as he put his arm around Naru's shoulders once again.

"I want to keep him in for the next five to seven days. Just so I can make sure the medication is working properly and that he doesn't have any reactions to the meds that we've used." Both parents nodded. The Hokage had made sense, Mio was in the best possible place he could be.

"Morgan, would you like to stay here with him?" Sasuke asked as he looked down to the now slightly relaxed mother.

"Yes. Please." She replied as she looked from Mio, to Tsunade and then to Sasuke. "I don't want to leave him on his own." She sighed softly whilst holding back a yawn.

"Very well. The long seat you're sitting on now pulls out into a small double bed. You may sleep there." The Hokage smiled softly. "I shall get Ino to bring in a pillow and blanket for you. Get some rest the both of you, I'll come by in the morning" she added before leaving.

"Will you be ok staying here by yourself?" Sasuke asked the young woman who was still sitting in his arms and returning his look. He was a little wary about leaving them on their own.

"I'll be fine…..I've gone through worse…" she sighed softly before closing her eyes to rid herself of the haunting memories from Orochimaru lair. She unconsciously let her head fall forward on to Sasuke's clavicle. "'M Jus'..." she yawned again.

"Tired?" The Uchiha finished with a hint of amusement in his voice. Now that he looked at her, she did look exhausted. "Why don't you lie down and go to sleep, Mio is already sleeping. You should get some rest too." He leaned in and for reasons particularly unknown to him, kissed her temple.

"Too tired to pull out the bed, dun wanna move." She mumbled into his neck as she turned into him a little more to seek more of his warmth.

The Uchiha didn't know whether to laugh or roll his eyes. He instead settled for a sigh and stood up, pulling the tired girl up with him.

"Here, sit in the chair and I'll pull the bed out for you." He offered as he manoeuvred her over to the plastic chair and sat her down before going back over the sofa bed and pulling it out. "I'll go get the pillow and blanket from Ino so don't fall asleep just yet." He warned teasingly before going to do as he said he would.

Sasuke returned ten minutes later with the pillow and blanket in his arms. He stopped in his tracks when he was halfway into the small room. What he saw made him smirk in amusement. Morgan had fallen asleep with her head tilted over the back of the chair. Her braid had come loose somewhat and had tufts sticking out here and there. Her mouth was also slightly ajar, which permitted a soft, if not dainty, snore. He shook his head as he thought that the girl looked beautiful even in this manner. He knew he was starting to fall for the young girl, but he didn't realise he would fall so quickly. He had known her for a small amount of time, surely that wasn't enough to fall in love. Surely there needed ample amount of time before one fell for someone? The Uchiha inwardly groaned, now was not the time to be thinking of such things! His son was ill for heavens sake, that was more important than whether he got laid or not!

"Morgan…" Sasuke walked over to the girl after setting up the bed and trying to rouse her. "Wake up." He ordered lightly. If anyone had said they had seen him acting so soft, he would deny it! He sighed once again when the girl wouldn't wake. He then bent over, picked her up bridal style and held her close to his chest as he carried her the few feet over to the pull out bed. He was mildly surprised when the blonde cuddled up to him. He assumed it was for warmth, but nevertheless, it made his stomach flutter and if he wasn't a well admired and totally awesome Uchiha, he would have blushed.

He pulled back the blanket and gently laid the girl down on the bed. She grumbled her displeasure at being set down but remained sleeping regardless. Sasuke watched her sleep from close up. He had yet to pull away from her from when he put her down. He was somewhat transfixed; from this close he could see light freckles, blonde lashes that matched her pretty sunshine coloured hair. Her nose was small and petite and her lips were pink and plump, what he wouldn't give right now to taste them. To give her a kiss and see for himself just how soft they were. He blinked and reigned himself in at the last moment and instead placed a light, attentive kiss to her forehead. He pulled the blanket up and over her and backed away… He was in deep, and he wasn't sure if he liked the idea.

With a heavy heart and a confused mind, Sasuke slowly made his way to the cot where his recovering son laid. The baby was awake and looking up at him with wide blue eyes. Sasuke was glad that he was mostly a quiet baby and expected him to grow up exactly the same way. Or so he hoped. He didn't think he could deal with an always unruly child. Oh don't get him wrong, he expected the odd tantrum in his early years, then the odd stinking attitude in his teenage years, but he'd manage. He just didn't want Mio to turn out like the Dobe. No one could be like Naruto, there was only one Dobe…

"Your mama's sleeping now. Be a good boy and keep quiet, she's very tired and needs to rest." He smiled a little and gently patted his son's stomach. "You're such a good boy already son. You'll do the Uchiha name proud." He leant over and kissed Mio's cheek. "I'll come see you tomorrow before I leave for my search for your Uncle Naruto." He stood straight and turned before leaving the room with one last look over his shoulder at Morgan. He would get used to having her around, he was sure. In the mean time, he had a mission to prepare for and he had put it off for long enough.

The next day Naru found herself sitting at her son's bedside talking to him and cooing over him. He had improved a fair bit, but she could tell he was still poorly. Sakura had come on duty earlier that morning and had made sure to check up on the mother and child regularly.

Naru remembered how harsh, towards her, Sakura used to be. The girl was always fighting for Sasuke's attention and pushing her, or rather the male her out of the picture. However, since she had been a girl, and obviously the pink haired girl didn't know she was the real Naruto, Sakura had been, pleasant, friendly even. She thought it was a nice change to having her head whacked or her cheek and stomach punched every time the girl got wound up (mostly over something Sasuke did or didn't do). The girl was always rough with her, even though they were supposed to have been friends and team mates. Naru rolled her eyes, maybe Sakura was bi-polar, it would defiantly explain a lot.

When she had woken up, she noticed Sasuke hadn't stayed the night. She didn't expect him to sleep in the same bed as her, but she thought he would have worked something out. From what she understood, Uchiha's were good at improvising and adapting. She smiled at the thought. She thought Sasuke had done well in accepting both her and Mio into his life, even if it was in an unconventional and backwards way. She shook her head and wondered what the raven would do and say when he found out. She was dreading it, but it had to come out sooner or later.

"I can't believe what happened to me…" She sighed as she picked up the baby to feed him. Sakura had told her it would be ok to feed him as normal as the milk would help his immune system fight the infection better. "You know Mio, once all this is out in the open; I wonder what your daddy and granny with think…" She positioned the baby at her breast, heavy with milk, and let him feed. "You see baby, Mama used to live here before the nasty snake took her away." She smiled softly. "Your daddy and I were the best of friends! We trained together and we were eventually gunna live together in the Uchiha Compound too! Your Daddy had promised me a better place to live than my little old apartment. It was great for just me, but there were memories attached to it that I wouldn't mind forgetting…" She brought the baby up to her shoulder and began to wind him after tidying herself up. "Mama wanted to become the Hokage, just like Granny… But I guess that won't ever happen now. I'm probably not strong enough anymore… I have you too, I couldn't leave you behind." She sighed once again and smiled when the infant burped. "I guess I'll never get to achieve any of my old dreams."

"I wouldn't say that." A voice suddenly said, startling her from the door way behind her.

The blonde woman nodded. Her fine eyebrows were knotted together with a frown and her lips were pursed, clearly expressing that not only was she was confused, but un-amused too.

"From the moment you brought the child to your chest, I heard everything…" The busty woman entered the room and closed the door behind her. "Do you want to tell me what's going on?" She would have glared at Naru, but she didn't want to frighten the girl anymore than she most likely was.

"I-I…" Naru tried. She panicked a little. What was she supposed to say? She wasn't ready to tell anyone just yet.

"Stop the foolishness girl!" Tsunade growled a little. "Tell me, Morgan." She forced the name out through her lips. "From what I've just heard you say, there is only one person I know who had the exact same dreams…" She took a step forward towards the girl and child. "Tell me, are you Naruto?"

Naru's eyes widened, if Tsunade knew, then there was no way she could hide it from her. She couldn't lie to her Baa-Chan… She lowered her eyes and put Mio back down into his cot, just in case the older woman hit her.

"Baa-Chan…" Her voice broke. "I-It's me… I am Naruto…" She bit her lip, trying not to cry.

Many feelings washed over the older blonde in the few moments that followed Naruto's admission. The woman wanted to laugh and cry, she wanted to slap the girl in front of her for keeping something so important from not just her, but everyone, especially Sasuke. However, her body just shook with relief and a sigh escaped her lips.

"Naruto… Uzumaki Naruto…" She shook her head; a small smile graced her face. "Welcome home brat…"

Naruto let out a throaty, yet relieved laugh. She felt the tell tale signs of tears forming in her eyes.

"It's more than good to be back, Baa-Chan…" She ran a hand through her bands. She felt so much better, not just about herself, but everything in general.

"You silly, silly child." The Hokage admonished as she looked the young girl over. "Why did you keep it quiet for so long?" She asked.

"I needed time. I needed to know if I really was Naruto. Almost all of my memories have returned." Naru sighed. "I just, wanted to be sure before I got peoples' hope up…" Her eyes were down cast as she tried to hold her tears at bay. "It's been so hard Baa-Chan… I thought I would never get them back…" A lone tear dripped and splashed onto the floor. "Everything I remember, more so the ones from t-that place… god, I wish I never g-got those back…" As she continued to talk, more and more tears left her watery blue eyes and cascaded to the floor. "It was horrible Baa-Chan… He made me wish I was dead!" Naru looked up to the Fifth Hokage. "I'm so happy to be back, to be home, and so happy to have Mio here with me, back where we belong."

The Hokage dropped all professional mannerisms before stalking forward and gathered the weeping child into her arms. Naruto was indeed a mother and indeed almost eighteen, but to her, she would always be a child, the child she had never had.

"It's ok brat. You're home now; you both are home and safe. I'm sure everyone will be happy to know it's you and to see you become apart of the village again." She comforted the girl as best as she could.

"I want to see everyone again…" Naru replied as she held onto the older woman. "I want to be me again, even if I am a girl for the rest of my life." She sniffed as she tried to calm herself down. The stress she had gone through the past few months was almost all cried out of her system. She had needed it to help her move on and make a fresh start at a new life, now that she knew who she truly was, it was time to face the music… and most of all, Sasuke.

"We'll talk about this once you've calmed down, at least then we can go over everything you remember and what I have in the left over documents from Kabuto. Maybe we can work out what actually happened to you whilst you were there." She looked sympathetically down to the blue eyed girl as they both felt it time to pull away. "Everything will be ok." She smiled reassuringly before taking a step back and composing herself.

Naru smiled through watery eyes as she used a tissue from the cot side cabinet to pat them dry. She never expected to reveal so much in so little time, but she was certain now, more than ever since Kurama's 'revival' that she was indeed Uzumaki Naruto.

"Baa-chan, Kurama!" She started out suddenly. "He's been sealed away from me since pretty much day one. He's only now able to speak to me, albeit for short periods of time, but… I miss him, is there anyway you can take a look at the seal that was placed on us?" She asked.

Tsunade put a hand to her chin as she thought about it. It must have been added to the seal already on Naru's stomach, it would take her a few hours, but maybe she could take a look and work out how to remove it.

"Once the child is well and you are settled in I shall take a look. There's no need to do it right now. I shall take a look at Kabuto's documents as well and see if there's anything in there about a seal." Naru nodded, she was happy with this. Kurama had said the seal was possibly weakening so they may not even need help, but it was better to be safe than sorry, especially where Kabuto and Orochimaru were concerned. "Now, what are you going to tell everyone?" Tsunade asked as she walked over to the child to check his OBS (Oxygen Blood Saturation) "Especially that blasted Uchiha?"

"Sasuke is leaving to search for you Naruto… Should you tell him before he goes?"

"I-I don't know…" She continued to frown for a few more moments as she thought. "Sasuke needs to know, but I don't know how to tell him…"

"Tell me what?" A low, confused voice broke through the women's conversation. Naru turned and gasped when she saw the man of their conversation.

"Speak of the devil and he's sure to appear." Tsunade said as she rolled her eyes with a hint of amusement in her tone. This was going to be interesting….

A/N- So, how was that? Was it good enough to make up for the lateness? Hehe… Sorry about the cliff-hanger too, but it was inevitable, the next chapter is already being worked on, and I didn't want to spoil it by adding anymore, since ya know, it is the one you've all been waiting for :D R&R!

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.